Rotary valve for internal-combustion engines



Nov. 29, 1927. 1,651,207

0. H. HODGES ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Dec. 23. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIHII II m. NIH

Nov. 29, 1927. 1,651,207

0. H. HODGES ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Dec. 23. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 (late: may

Nov. 29, 192 7. 1,651,207

0. H. HODGES RO'I 'ARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Fi led Dec. 23. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 U o Q30 0 =0 0 Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

'[UNITED STAT Es PATENT, OFFICE.

ORSON HENRY HODGES, F PORTIQAND, OREGON.

ROTARY VALVE FOR iNTERNAL-COMBUSTIOK ENGINES.

Application filed December 23, 1926. Seriallo. 156,608.

. engines.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a particularly simple form of rotary valve which shall consist of few parts that are simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a valve of this character which shall include means for effectively lubricating the same, and also means for cooling the valve, the latter being accomplished by connecting such valve in the fluid cooling system of the engine:

With these and other objects in view, the invention may be stated to consist in the various novel features of construction and arrangement or combination, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the application':

Figure v1 is a vertical sectional view through the upper portion of an internal combustion engine cylinder showing the same equipped'with a valve constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view but showing the valve rotated through 90 from the position shown in Figure 1; v

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the valve;

Figures 5 and 6 are horizontal sectional views taken on the lines 5-5 and 6-6 respectively of Figure 4; and c Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of a cylin- 'der head plate employedfor a four cylinder -motor and showing a portion of the oiling'system for the valves. 7

Describing the various parts by reference characters, 1 denotes the cylinder water jacket of an internal combustion engine and 2 the water jacket of the head 3 of such engine. These water jackets are interconnected in the usual manner by a plurality of aligning apertures 4 so that the cooling fluid may circulate from one to the other.

J ournalled in the cylinder head 3 in axial alignment with each piston is a rotary valve 5. This valve consists of a cylindrical body ortion 6 and an upwardly, extending holow stem 7. As shown'particularly in Figure 1, the body portion 6 is hollow to receive cooling fluid therein and. the stem 7 is formed with a vertical partition 8, which extends into the body portion and defines an intake and a discharge passage therefor. It will also be noted that the body portion 6 of the valve is formed with a port 9, which, when the valve is rotated, as will be explained'hereinafter, is adapted to align with suitable intake, ignition and exhaust ports 10, 11 and 12 respectively, and establish communication between these ports and the engine cylinder.

The valve 5 1s journalled on bearings 14- and 15, which are disposed about the stem 7. The former of these hearings is disposed in a recess formed on the body portion 6 and is interposed between such portion and a plate 16 carried by the cylinder head, while the latter of these bearings is interposed between said plate and a helical gear 17 that is keyed to stem 7. Bearing 14 receives the thrust due to the explosion in the engine cylinder and bearing 15 receives the driving thrust of the helical gear 17, such gear being driven by a second helical gear 18 carried by a horizontal shaft 19 that may be driven by the engine in any suitable manner. In order to effect a seal between the valve 5 and the head 3, I provide the body portion of the valve with a plurality of rings 20 which are seated in circumferential I grooves -21 formed therein. These rlngs are adapted to. snugly engage the walls of the cylinder head andloosely engage the grooves in the valve so that as the valve rotates, the rings will remain stationary and rotation will occur between .the rings and ring grooves.

Positioned on top of plate 16 is a water cooled casing 23 which communicates with the intake of the valve stem 7 and also with the water jacket of the cylinder head by means of apertures 24. A gland nut 25 threaded on the upper end of the valve stem prevents water from seeping into the driving gears and bearings. As shown particularly in Figurel, I preferably employ studs.

26 to fasten casing 23, plate 16, and head. 3

to the cylinder block so that removal of these studs will permit ready access to all parts;

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 7, plate 16 is formed .with a longitudinalbore 28 through which oil may be forced from the" crank case of the motor by the usual oil pump, or by a separate pump 29 which may be connected with any suitable sourceiof' oil not shown. Oi1 entering bore 28 is dis- I I Ch gases. The heat developed by the explosions is dissipated by the cooling fluid which is pumped from the bottom of the radiator,

(not shown) to pipe 36, thence downwardly through nipples 35 to the intake passage of each valve stem 7 and into the bod portion of the valve, then beneathpartition 8 and upwardly through the discharge passage of the valve stem to casing 23. From casing 23, the cooling fluid flows through apertures 24 to the water jacket 2 ,of the engine head, then through apertures 4 to the cylinder water jacket and finally back to the radiator, in the usual manner not shown.

It is thus apparent that the valves are effectively cooled and lubricated during operation and when desired, access to the various parts may be easily obtained by removing studs 26.

What I claim is 1. An internal combustion engine com prising a cylinder, a head carried by said cylinder, a rotary valve journalled in said head and having a hollow valve stem projecting therethrough, a partition dividing said stem into an inlet and a discharge passage and extending into the hollow portion of said valve, a fluid cooled casing carried by said head and communicating with thecooling jacket of said head and with said valve stem, and means for continuously circulating the cooling fluid in said head through said casing, valve stem and valve.

2. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder, a head carried by said cylinder, a rotary valve journalled in said head, said valve comprising a hollow body portion and a hollow stem projecting through said head, said stem being provided with a partition defining an inlet and a discharge passage, and means for circulatlng a cooling fluid through said inlet passage in the stem to the valve and out said discharge passage.

. 3. An internal combustion englne comprising' a fluid cooled cylinder, a fluid cooled head carried by said cylinder, a rotary valve journalled in. said head and having a hollow valve stem projecting therethrough, said valve being hollow and'said valve stein being 'formed with apartition dividing said stem tion of said valve, a ried by said head and connected with themeans for continuously circulating the cooling fluid of said cylinder through said head,

. casing, valve stem and valve.

4, An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder, a cooling fluid jacketed head carried by said cylinder, a rotary valve journalled in said head and having a valve stem projecting therethrough, said valve and valve stem bemg hollow, a partition dividing said stem into anlinlet and a discharge passage and extendin into the hollow por- Enid cooled casing carcooling fluid jacket thereof, and a second connection between said casing and the inlet of said valve stem.

5. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder, a head carried by said cylinder, a rotary valve journalled in said head and having a valve stem projecting therethrough, a plate carried by said head, a thrust bearing interposed between said plate andsaid valve and adapted to receive the thrust from the explosive force in the engine cylinder, a driving gear carried by said valve stem, means for'rotati'ng said gear to operate said valve, and means for circulating a-cooling fluid throughsaid valve sten and valve.

6. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder,- a head carried by said cylinder, a rotary valve journalled in said head and having a valve stem projecting therethrough, a plate carried by said'head, a thrust bearing interposed between said plate and said valve and adapted to receive the thrust from the explosive force inthe engine cylinder, said plate being formed with-a bore connecting with said bearing and a source of oil, and means for supplying oil to said bore and bearing.

7. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder, a head carried by said cylinder, a rotary valve journalled in said head and having a valve stem projecting therethrough, a plate carried by saidhead, a thrustv bearing interposed between said plate and said valve and adapted to receive the thrust from the explosiveforce in the engine cylinder, a driving gear carried by said valve stem, a second thrust bearing interposed between said plate and said gear.

and adapted to receive the driving thrust from said 'gear, said plate being formed with a bore communicating with one of said bearings, and means for circulating a supply of oasou HENRY HODGES. 

